Page 77 of The Hotel Room

James cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully.

“Listen, Noah. I know this has been hard to watch. What’s happening between your mom and me...it’s complicated. And painful. But that doesn’t mean love isn’t real.”

Noah shook his head, eyes stormy. “But you guys were high school sweethearts. You wereforever, right? And now you’re...this.”

James felt the sting of those words deep in his chest.

He nodded slowly.

“You’re right. We were young when we fell in love. Just like you and Emily. I love your mom, more than anything in this world. She’s...she’s the most important relationship I’ve ever had. Always will be.”

Noah’s face twisted in confusion, his voice rising.

“Then why are you fighting all the time? If you love her so much, why—”

James swallowed hard, the words bitter on his tongue.

“Because I made a mistake, Noah. A terrible mistake. And when you love someone that much, when you’ve built a life together—it hurts even worse when trust gets broken.”

Noah’s brows furrowed, lips pressing tightly together as his expression darkened.

“But...I thought you said she was overreacting,” he muttered, voice sharp with confusion.

James felt the words land like a blow to his chest. He closed his eyes briefly, then met his son’s gaze, no longer defensive—just honest.

“I was wrong,” he said quietly, voice heavy with regret. “She’snotoverreacting. She’s hurt, Noah. And she has every right to feel that way. I did something I can’t take back, and it made her question everything we built together. Her feelings? They’re real. They’re honest. And I’m trying to take responsibility for that now.”

Noah’s expression softened slightly, but the tension lingered, the questions still behind his eyes.

James ran a hand through his hair and exhaled.

“I’m seeing a therapist,” he continued gently. “I’m working on myself, trying to figure out how to be better. Not just for her, but for you and Lily too. Because I let all of you down, and I’m not proud of it. But I’m trying. I won’t stop trying.”

Noah nodded slowly, looking down at his hands as if processing everything.

James hesitated for a beat before continuing, voice quieter now, the rawness still there but steadier.

“But love is real,” James continued, his gaze softening. “And when you find someone who makes you feel whole, like you can’t imagine life without them...that matters. I don’t know if you and Emily will stay together, get married, have kids. But I don’t know that you won’t either. I found my soulmate in high school. Maybe that’s the way of the Hayes men.”

The words hung there for a moment, fragile but honest.

Noah’s face softened, the defensiveness ebbing slightly.

James took a breath, then braced himself for what he knew needed to come next.

“But you’re young, Noah. And being in love doesn’t mean you stop being responsible.”

Noah blinked. “What—”

James raised a hand. “Let me finish. I’m going to give you condoms.”

“DAD.” Noah practically choked, sitting bolt upright, his face turning bright red. “Oh my God, no, please, can wenot—”

James kept his expression calm, though the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself.

“Look, I know it’s awkward. But it’s important. I was eighteen when your mom got pregnant. And we wanted you. Weloveyou. But it was hard, Noah. It was a choice we had to make at a really young age, and we gave up a lot of things for it. Things your mom never complained about, but they were still sacrifices. I don’t want Emily to have to make those choices at sixteen. And I don’t want you to, either.”

Noah’s face was still flushed with embarrassment and he wouldn’t meet James’s eyes. He nodded once.

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